THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 14, 1995 TAG: 9504120119
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, VIRGINIAN-PILOT/LEDGER-STAR STAFF
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Port Norfolk Baptist Church will conduct a sunrise service for the community at 6:30 a.m. Easter Sunday on the Port Norfolk waterfront near the intersection of Bayview Boulevard and Broad Street.
``There is a sandy area along the water at low tide, and the service will fall about two hours after the mean low tide, which means the tide will still be pretty far out at that point,'' said the Rev. Dr. Ector Lee Hamrick, pastor of the host church.
Although Port Norfolk Baptist will sponsor and coordinate the first-time event, five neighboring churches in the Port Norfolk area have been invited to participate.
``We've had firm commitments from four of the five to participate at some level or the other,'' said Hamrick.
Those churches include Broad Street United Methodist Church, Surry Street Baptist Church, Portsmouth Christian Church and Faith Fellowship Baptist Church. Hamrick has not yet received a commitment from Port Norfolk Pentecostal Assembly.
``I would hope we might have as many as 100 to 125 (participants),'' said Hamrick, ``although, frankly, who knows at that hour of the morning!''
The service will be kept short, lasting only about a half hour to 40 minutes.
``We're asking that people come dressed casually and that they bring folding chairs, if they will,'' said Hamrick.
In case of rain or inclement weather, the service will be held in the sanctuary of Port Norfolk Baptist Church, 401 Broad St. After the service, the church will serve a continental breakfast of coffee, cocoa, juice and doughnuts from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in its fellowship hall.
A cleanup day also is planned for the waterfront area before the service.
``The waterfront area can stand some policing and cleaning up, so we have a group of people from the six churches going to spend the morning on Saturday of this week doing some cleanup in the area, and that will give us a chance to work together,'' said Hamrick.
Because parking is limited on Bayview Boulevard, participants are asked to park their cars on Maryland and Chautauqua avenues or on Broad Street.
``In our case, we're about four blocks away from the waterfront, and we're urging our people to bring their cars to the church parking lot, and then we have a 15-passenger van that will shuttle people up to the waterfront area from the parking lot,'' said Hamrick.
The idea for a sunrise service that included neighborhood churches originated with the deacon group at Port Norfolk Baptist Church. It was one of the deacons who suggested the site.
``That area apparently used to be a recreational play area for the Port Norfolk neighborhood,'' said Hamrick, ``and still some people go walking in that area, although it's not as pleasant, perhaps, as it used to be.
``We picked that particular spot along that waterfront, along Bayview, because that is the most open space between the roadway and the water . . . and we're going to clean it up and do the best we can to make it a presentable area,'' he said.
The handbell ensemble and the adult sanctuary choir of Port Norfolk Baptist Church will provide the music. The service will also include some congregational singing. Call Port Norfolk Baptist Church at 393-1041 for more information. by CNB